I'm a holistic massage therapist trained in a number of healing modalities, including Swedish massage, aromatherapy, reflexology, acupressure, subtle energy work and one year's training in Shiatsu. 

 

I believe that the combination of authentic presence, skilled and loving touch and clear boundaries can facilitate deep transformation and a profound yet simple acceptance of life as it is in this moment.

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One of the guiding forces in my life is my relationship to nature. It's where I feel a profound connection to the universe and to my deepest self. Nature keeps me in balance physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually and if I was asked to offer a prescription for sound health and wellbeing, it would involve spending as much time as possible being nourished by the great outdoors.

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My business name, Arbor Vitae, means ‘Tree of Life’, which is symbolic in many cultures of the eternal source of life and the connection between the roots of the earth and the furthest branches of the cosmos. For me, it also powerfully represents the need for people to be rooted, grounded and embodied in their day-to-day lives.

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The Tree of Life symbolises many nurturing aspects of life with an equal emphasis on giving and receiving. All of the elements – fire, water, earth and wind – combine their forces to create the awesome, life-giving power of this tree. As its branches reach up to the sky, so does the individual have the opportunity to continue reaching towards their highest potential.

 

The Arbor Vitae is also a part of our complex brains - the white matter which displays a beautiful branching pattern and which is critical to the co-ordination of movement in the body.

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My work is influenced by my interests in myth and metaphor, depth psychology, dance and movement practices, modern day rites of passage for adults and young people, shadow work, neuroscience, trauma resolution, social justice and relational intimacy of all kinds – and the ways in which all of these areas intersect.

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I have been greatly inspired by individuals including CG Jung, Maureen Murdock, author of  ‘The Heroine’s Journey’, soul poets such as David Whyte and John O’Donohue, shame researcher Brené Brown and cultural change agents such as Bill Plotkin, Marion Woodman, Vicki Noble, Gail Burkett and Dr Peter Levine.

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